


Junior

by xx0amanda0xx



Category: Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Bad Flirting, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Jealousy, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Violence, shameless flirting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 05:59:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15430515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xx0amanda0xx/pseuds/xx0amanda0xx
Summary: The Warden-Commander, Rosalie, receives a letter from Anders after Hawke's younger brother becomes infected with the taint in the Deep Roads. She takes him under her wing but things might heat up just yet.





	1. Chapter 1

_Old Friend,_  
_I have sent an individual to join the Wardens as he was travelling with me and has been...infected. He’s moody, but he’s a good kid. He deserves the chance that you gave me. I’m unsure if this will arrive in time, but I know you won’t make any rash decisions._  
_Anders_

Rosalie looked over the short letter that her friend had sent her, pacing back and forth in the corridor like she had been for the past three days, since she got the letter. The light blonde hadn’t been able to get a good night’s sleep since Anders’ note had arrived.

She, just shy of twenty, wondered what he classified as a kid. Being as though that’s what he used to call her, she assumed somewhere around her age. However, the young Warden-Commander couldn’t help but wonder if this boy Anders sent was a mere child. Rosalie tried not to dwell on that, though, all that did was break her heart.

The young girl dropped the slip of paper and gasped as two Grey Wardens carried in a man she assumed to be in his early twenties,”Set him down! And you, get the goblet!”

She kneeled beside him and gingerly helped his head into her lap. The veins in his face grew black, making her snap at the nearest person,”I need that goblet now!”

Rosalie looked down at the muscular, dark haired man and whispered softly,”I need you to stay with me, okay? You’re gonna have to drink some...nasty stuff to make you feel better.”

“What...is it?”, his voice barely audible.

“Darkspawn blood, it slows down the taint that pumps through your veins...Hey! Stay with me! What’s your name?”

Someone ran over and set the goblet at her side,”Carver…”

“Listen to me, now, Carver. I’m going to say what is said before every Joining, and I need you to stay with me.”

Rosalie took a deep breath and spoke quickly, trying to get the words out so that she could ease his pain,”Join us, brothers and sisters, join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day, we shall join you…”

After he drank the blood, he rolled to his side, holding his head and groaning in pain. The young blonde stayed next to him for quite some time, worrying that it was too late for him and that she would have to write Anders, telling him that she had failed him.

His eyes opened slowly and he grumbled,”Andraste?”

The Warden-Commander giggled and shook her head, tucking her hair behind her pointed ear,”Andraste is no elf...Welcome to the Grey Wardens. You’ll probably need to rest for a day or so, you were out for quite some time. I must warn you, you’ll have horrible dreams...I know I did.”

Carver sat up slowly and raised an eyebrow,”Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here?”

“Warden-Commander Rosalie Surana, Vigil’s Keep, and in the arms of two of my men.”, she slowly stood up, extending a hand to help the new Warden to his feet,”Got a last name, Carver?”

“Hawke, Carver Hawke, pleased to meet you.”

The lithe woman nodded as she slowly pulled him to his feet, looking away as she realized that she was admiring how tall and muscular he was for a moment too long,”I’ll have Sigrun help you to your room…She’ll tell you where you can find me after your slumber.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”, she looked over her shoulder.

Carver rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled,”For taking time away from your day, making you-”

“When people need my help, I don’t turn a blind eye. You were going to die if I didn’t try something. So please, don’t apologize.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King Alistair makes an appearance!

Rosalie jumped out of her bed, her hair disheveled and her sight fuzzy to say the least. She swung open the door to find Carver standing before her. The young woman shoved him and swiftly wrapped herself in her bed sheets. She was a young woman who had never been with someone romantically, so nobody had really seen her in her pajamas before. It might seem silly to the average person, but to her, it was...revealing in a way.

“Carver!”

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable! Th-The dreams...I can’t sleep.”, he sputtered, looking away.

The blonde looked down and whispered softly,”I’ll meet you in the study in five.”

The new Warden closed the door, leaving Rosalie alone in her room. She dropped the sheet and mumbled,”I didn’t think the Maker made them like...that.”

She sighed and changed from her pyjamas into a dark violet overdress, accompanied by a white hooded cape with dark purple accents and a white belt. The blonde kept the hood down, letting her light hair free. She quickly made her way to the study that was down the hall.

“Hawke? Where are you?”

She slowly walked over to where a shadow stood in the far area of the study. Rosalie used her magic to light a couple overhead lights, letting out a breath she wasn’t even aware she was holding,”There you are…”

“Hm? Oh, sorry...It’s just that everyone calls my older brother Hawke. I’m just plain old Carver…”

The Warden-Commander scoffed and sat on the desk nearby, her hands gripping onto edge of the dark wooden desk,”I don’t think you’re plain…”

“But I’m old?”, Carver chuckled.

She shrugged and looked up at him, her amber eyes looking into his light blue ones,”Depends, how old are you?”

“Twenty-one, you?”

“Nineteen, nearly twenty. You look...older.”

He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, his voice hinting at slight agitation,”And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Boys my age don’t...look like you, not that I’ve seen anyway. They aren’t that tall, put together...buff, you know?”

The younger Hawke brother relaxed and cleared his throat, his cheeks and the tips of his ears turning red,”So it’s a compliment?”

“Haw- Carver, you let off an air of someone who isn’t too confident, or perhaps someone who isn’t appreciated enough.”

She stood up and nearly gasped at how close they were. She backed herself into the desk and swallowed what felt like glass as she awaited his answer.

“I’ve always lived in my brother’s shadow. Maybe my sister’s too…”

“You have a sister?”

The young man cleared his throat and nodded,”A twin, Bethany, but she’s...gone now.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”, Rosalie shook her head and looked up at him.

“Warden-Commander! I was just looking for you!”

The blonde glared daggers into the older man,”Yes?”

“King Alistair, he’s waiting for you downstairs.”

“At this hour? Is everything alright?!”

The greying man smiled and nodded,”He said he just wanted to see an old friend.”

“Ah, yes...There have been quite a bit of those popping up lately.”, she looked back at Carver and smiled sheepishly,”Raincheck? You really do need your rest…”

“Of course, duty calls.”, he nodded and ducked out of the room with a sour look on his face.

The older man, Theo, looked at her with knowing eyes,”Duty does call, Rosalie. Don’t let your mind become clouded by some...some boy!”

“We were just talking…”, she whined and pulled her hood up, hurrying down the stairs.

“Rosie!”

“Alistair!”

The young woman ran towards the young king as he ran towards her. Alistair swooped her up into his arms and kissed her cheek,”I heard you had a rough night.”

“If I knew that’s all that had to happen to see you again, I would’ve been out wrestling bears!”

The king chuckled and let go of the young Warden,”I haven’t got long, but there’s some groups of darkspawn a couple villages over. I thought we could go and take care of them, just like old times?”

“Uhm...sure. I’d like to take Carver with us, he’s our newest Grey Warden.”

The blond nodded and ruffled her hair,”I’ll be waiting outside.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosalie begins to recognize her physical attraction to Carver and attempts to start distancing herself from him.

  Carver trailed behind Alistair and Rosalie, listening to their conversation silently. He chewed on the inside of his mouth absentmindedly, snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his name called.

 

“Hm?”, he looked up and raised an eyebrow.

 

  Alistair chuckled and shook his head,”Would you rather help me set up camp or help Rosalie gather firewood?”

 

  The dark haired young man looked around and mumbled,”I’ll go with her. Just shout if you need us.”

 

  The two walked out of the clearing and into the woods, picking up sticks for the fire. Carver knew it was stupid, this feeling he was having, but he couldn’t help it,”I thought there weren’t guys like me that were your age?”

 

  Rosalie smiled before breaking out into a fit of laughter, dropping the sticks that were in her arms to hold her gut as it hurt from laughing.

 

“I don’t see what’s so funny!”

 

  The light haired girl shrugged as she pulled herself together and began picking up the firewood she dropped,”Alistair isn’t...my type. Though, I wasn’t aware you were the jealous kind.”

 

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about! You’re being ridiculous!”

 

  Carver quickly went back to where Alistair was setting up camp, Rosalie close behind him. She couldn’t help but blush at the thought of Carver being even remotely interested in her. Andraste’s knickers, he was strong, attractive, and funny, while she was just...her.

 

  She shook herself from her thoughts as she heard wood splitting. She looked over to see both Alistair and Carver cutting the firewood.

 

“Rosie, count to a minute, we’re trying to see who can cut the most wood!”

 

  The Warden-Commander smiled softly at the silliness of this whole thing, and even worse, it was probably the King of Ferelden’s idea.

 

  Rosalie started counting, looking over to her left to see beads of sweat dripping from Carver’s face onto his chest. She lost all concentration, lost count. 

 

  The young woman stood up and darted towards a tent. If either one of those men caught her staring, she’d be mortified. 

 

“Warden-Commander?”, Carver pulled back the flap at the front of the tent and poked his head in,”Is everything alright?”

 

  The mage pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them,”You wouldn’t understand...And if you did, then you wouldn’t respect me as a Commander anymore.”

 

“Fine, don’t tell me!”, he suddenly snapped. 

 

   The young woman scrunched her eyebrows together and looked at him, put off by his outburst,”I don’t have to tell you a bloody thing, Warden Hawke. I like to keep my personal affairs separate from my line of duty...:”

 

“But I thought we were-”

 

“We are acquaintances, colleagues. It takes time for me to build up trust in an individual.”

 

  Carver swallowed thickly and nodded,”Of course, I understand. I-I’ll leave you be.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Wardens close in on the darkspawn and a fight ensues.

Rosalie awoke the next day later than the men did. She rubbed her eyes sleepily before putting on her robes and a cloak. Her hair fell in her eyes as she bent over to pull on her boots.

 

  Slowly pushing the front of the tent out of the way, she overheard Carver and Alistair talking by the fire,”I thought that she was beginning to trust me, and then she just pulls away.”

 

“Rosie is...difficult to understand at times. She has a hard time connecting with people at first, but it’ll pass.”

 

“But I thought we _had_ connected.”

 

  The young elven woman had heard enough. She walked over and smiled softly, pretending as if nothing had happened,”Morning fellas, ready to go?”

 

  Alistair snickered,”We’ve been ready for half an hour.”

 

“I-I’m sorry…”

 

The two men stood up, Carver shaking his head,”It’s alright, you must’ve needed the rest. Isn’t easy being Warden-Commander I’d assume.”

 

  Rosalie smiled softly and crossed her arms, still trying to keep an air of professionalism about her,”Thank you, Hawke.”

 

  The three of them gathered what they needed and continued their short journey to the next town over.

 

  The blonde stopped in her tracks, looking at a flower,”Are you...religious, Carver?”

 

“Yes, why?”

 

  She picked the flower and gingerly handed it to him,”It’s called Andraste’s Grace. I’ve always thought it was pretty and I just never had the opportunity to give it to someone recently. I used to travel with someone, Leliana, she thought they were beautiful…”

 

  The dark haired young man smiled warmly, putting it in a small compartment in his backpack. His heart swelled at the thought that he reminded her of a good friend of hers. Perhaps they were back on track again,”Thank you.”

 

  Rosalie nodded and continued walking, grabbing her staff from off her back as they approached an opening,”Here, right?”

 

  Alistair nodded and readied his weapon, as did Carver,”How do you want to go about this?”

 

“Slow and stealthy, I can't quite feel out how many there are just yet.”

 

  They cautiously walked into the small town, watching as the darkspawn approached.

 

“Attack!”

 

  Rosalie put a barrier around the men as they got closer to the group of evil creatures. Alistair sliced and stabbed at the closest one to him while Carver was able to knock down two or three with his greatsword.

 

  Alistair bashed a darkspawn’s head in with his shield, knocking it to the ground before practically gutting it like a fish. The blood sprayed over his face, making him smirk slightly. It had been quite some time since he was allowed to do such things.

 

  Carver had fought plenty of bandits and thugs with his older brother, and actually had fought a few darkspawn during his time in the Deep Roads. However, it felt different now that he was a Grey Warden; he could nearly feel his pride coursing through his veins as he cut one of the vile creatures in half. The blood splattered across his armour, some across his face as well.

 

  Rosalie snarled as a Hurlock got closer. She grunted and stabbed it in the face with her staff that had a pointed, knife-like end to it that she had modified for times like this. She made a face of disgust as a sticky, crimson liquid splashed her robe, staff, and hands. The young elven woman wasn’t even aware that she had put so much force behind the strike, but the blood spray pattern indicated otherwise.

 

  The young Warden-Commander was out of breath and low on mana once the fight was over. The young men approached her slowly, sheathing their weapons. Alistair had a bright smile on his face as he spoke,”That was...surprisingly fun. I thought I would hate fighting again, but….”

 

“Reliving your glory days, old man?”, Rosalie laughed and gently punched his shoulder.

 

“Hey!”, he whined, making Carver join in on the laughter, eventually joining in himself.

 

  The blonde woman began walking, wiping her bloody hands on her robes,”I feel disgusting…”

 

“You do? I nearly painted my whole body with blood!”, Carver snickered.

“You’re up close and personal, it’s natural, Hawke.”, she playfully knocked her shoulder against him.

 

  Alistair smiled and lowered his voice so only the fellow warrior could hear,”What did I tell you?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Carver and Rosalie take it easy after their battle.

 

  The Wardens traveled back to the Fort, Alistair splitting ways with them halfway there, something about having to get back to “being a king”. At first, Rosalie felt bad for making him king as it wasn’t really what he wanted to do at all, but she sees now that he’s sort of grown into the role. He seems happy enough that she wouldn’t worry about his well being, and she pays close attention to things like that, just in case.

 

  Rosalie licked her lips as she walked inside with Carver, looking over at him,”We should get cleaned up, eat, then get some rest. I’d like to try some hand-to-hand combat with you tomorrow, for sticky situations.”

 

“You’re a mage, you don’t need a staff, do you?”

 

“I just have to make sure that I know you’re trained in every possible area to defend yourself.”

 

  Carver furrowed his eyebrows together and looked her over,”How is hand-to-hand combat going to help me with darkspawn?”

 

“We don’t just fight darkspawn. They aren’t the only evil things out there, understand?”

 

  Carver wanted to tell her that she didn’t need to speak to him like a child who had never seen war before, but to be fair, he walked right into that one. He was trying to be better about getting angry or frustrated easily, as that was one of the things that seemed to drive Hawke nuts.

 

  Hawke...He missed his big brother. Hawke was there every single night that he had nightmares about Bethany, reliving the horrible moment that he lost his twin sister. If he could go back in time and plead the Maker to take him instead, he would.

 

  Rosalie looked up at him with a concerned look etched into her face,”Is everything alright? You look rather...ill.”

 

“Huh? Oh..Just a little homesick, I guess.”

 

“What’s that like?”, she asked suddenly.

 

  The younger Hawke brother looked at her surprised with an eyebrow arched,”Pardon?”

 

“Well, I grew up in the Circle, but so did my brother. We didn't have a strong relationship with our parents because they sent us away at such a young age, so I never missed them. I...I didn’t like the Circle at all, it constantly felt like I was being watched, like I was a prisoner almost. One of the only templars that treated me well was a man named Cullen.”, she shook herself from her thoughts as she realized she was rambling and looked up at him. “So, what’s it like? Being homesick, I mean.”

 

  The young man rubbed along his jaw and chin as he looked down at her,”Homesick is...difficult to explain. I guess the easiest way to say it is that you simply miss your home, or the people who you consider to be part of your family.”

 

“Guess that’s why I’ve never been homesick, huh?”, she smiled solemnly and began walking away.

 

  Carver frowned deeply at that thought. Had she truly not thought of the Wardens as her home, her family now? She led this group of people and they all looked up to her it seemed, but it seemed to him that she didn’t consider this place home. However, he had only known her a handful of days, and she had only left this place once.

 

  Rosalie filled the bathtub with water before slowly slipping out of her robes and kicking off of her shoes. She slinked down into the tub and hummed softly in satisfaction. The bath water now had a red tint to it due to the amount of blood that was on her, but at least she didn’t feel as disgusting now.

 

  Her joints ached from the journey that she had gone on. She felt as if she was a bit rusty when she fought, even wondered if Alistair had noticed. Even if he did, he probably wouldn’t have said anything, but she still wondered if she was losing her touch. Then again, is that really a bad thing? Just living her life how she was initially supposed to, in a relatively normal way? She didn’t know anymore, she honestly didn’t…

 

  After bathing, she got out of the bathtub and drained the water. Rosalie slowly dried her body before getting dressed into her nightwear. She pulled her blonde hair back with some pins and looked in the mirror, letting out a breath that she wasn’t even aware that she was holding in.

 

  The Warden-Commander found her way to the dining hall and smiled sheepishly as she noticed the people leaving. She got a bowl of soup and sat down across from Carver who still had half of his food left.

 

  He looked up at her through his thick yet short eyelashes,”You clean up nice, Warden-Commander.”

 

  The elven woman laughed softly as she began eating, careful not to make slurping noises as she found them absolutely infuriating,”Ah yes, I’ve grown quite skilled at scrubbing dried blood off of my skin, so one can imagine I clean up well.”

 

“I meant..”

 

  Rosalie smiled softly and took a sip of water,”I know, but I figured I’d keep it lighthearted. I would rather not let people in on my mild favouritism…”

 

“Oh? I’m your-”

 

“Shh!”, she giggled and nudged his shin under the table with her foot. “A secret, remember? Just between us, hm?”

 

  Perhaps Rosalie didn’t hate him after all. Hawke’s younger brother’s mouth turned up in a mix between a smirk and a smile at the mere thought of that,”Right, just between us.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carver and Rosalie have a heart to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bloomingtide is Dragon Age's "May".

_Darling Anders,_

_Carver arrived on the 9th of Bloomingtide. He was in horrendous shape as the infection had spread further than I had ever seen. It was tough keeping him stable, but he survived his Joining. He was given a day to rest and explore the Fort as he saw fit. The day after, we set out on an expedition with King Alistair, returning some days later. It is now the 16th of Bloomingtide, and he is in good health. I think it is worth writing that he often speaks of his late sister, Bethany, and his older brother, Hawke. It is also worth noting that when I refer to him as Hawke, he hardly answers, as “that is what my brother is called”. He thinks highly of his older sibling, and seems to miss him dearly...Write back, tell me of your adventures with Hawke, will you?_

_Your old friend, Rosalie_

 

  The young elven woman pushed away from the desk and stood up, folding the piece of paper before sticking it in an envelope. She signed the envelope then made her way to the birds, smiling wearily as she held the envelope out to one of them. She gingerly stroked their feathers and hummed softly as it took the letter from her,”This needs to go to Kirkwall, to Anders.”

 

  She watched as the bird flew out the window and ascended into the air, flying off into the distance. Rosalie turned around and jumped slightly, putting her hand on her chest as if it would steady her heartbeat,”Carver, you scared me.”

 

“I’d never guess I was stealthy...Maybe you were just distracted and weren’t paying attention to your surroundings.”, he teased.

 

  The blonde gently shoved his shoulder and rolled her eyes playfully as she pushed past him,”Don’t be silly, I’m always on guard. Anywho, what is it that you wanted?”

 

“Do you ever do anything fun?”

 

“Pardon?”, she whirled around.

 

  His cheeks were a tint of pink as he rubbed the back of his neck,”I just wanted to know if you ever did anything other than watch over people, kill darkspawn, and work.”

 

“Not really these days. I’ve got tons of free time since the Blight ended, but I don’t truly have any way to utilize that time so I just...don’t.”

 

“Would you like to? Utilize that time, I mean.”

 

  The Warden-Commander looked up at him and raised an eyebrow,”Just what are you suggesting, Carver?”

“Well, you could spend your time with me. I’m more fun than one would assume.”

 

“I would guess that you’re plenty fun.”

 

  The younger Hawke brother scoffed and shook his head,”No need to tease me.”

 

“I wasn’t! I was being honest; I think that spending my spare time with you would be fun. You’re not nearly as uptight as some of the other Wardens think you are.”

 

  The dark haired young man furrowed his eyebrows together and grumbled,”At least I’m out of Hawke’s shadow here.”

 

  Rosalie sat down on her desk and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow,”His shadow? I’m not sure I follow…”

 

“My brother is just a man’s man I guess you could say. The people of Kirkwall think he’s some hero that has graced them with his presence...And I guess he is.”

 

“What’s he like?”

 

  Carver’s shoulders tensed. He didn’t want to talk much about Hawke because, in all honesty, he was scared that even here, miles away, he would be more liked. He took a deep breath and shrugged,”My brother is a good man. He tries his best to keep those he cares about safe, and would do anything for them. Even random people that lived in Kirkwall asked him for help. A man who traveled with him, Varric, he always called me ‘little Hawke’, always seemed to be a term that belittled me, took away from the things that I had done. Maybe that’s selfish but I...I’m sorry, I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

 

“I don’t mind your rambling, Carver. I’m glad that you trust me enough to tell me such things.”, she smiled softly while looking up at him through her eyelashes. “And I’m sorry you felt that way, the belittlement. Did you ever think that maybe that man, Varric, was comparing you to Hawke in the manner of lifting you up, not tearing you down?”

 

  He blinked slowly, taking a moment to process what she had said,”You think he thought I was as good as my brother? That I wasn’t in his shadow but rather standing beside him as an equal through it all?”

 

“It’s certainly possible, isn’t it? Try not to think so negatively about yourself.”

 

  The young elven girl stood up, still having to look up to talk to the man. She knew that she had said that she wanted to practice hand-to-hand combat today, but she found herself so distracted by his words that she didn’t mind a raincheck,”You’re an amazing warrior, you fight well. You’re kind hearted, and have a bit of a humorous side to you. I’ve learned all that in a week, give or take a day or two. You should be proud of yourself, and the man that you’ve become. Hawke would be proud of you, Carver.”

 

  The warrior hugged her tightly, exhaling deeply. Her head rested against his chest as her arms snaked around his torso. He wasn’t the easiest person to get along with, but he was glad that she at least seemed to understand him for him. He wasn’t Hawke’s little brother, or Bethany’s twin; With her, he was just Carver.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawke writes to Carver after months of being apart.

Carver stared at himself in the looking glass, running his hand over his stomach. He wasn’t self-conscious about his body, he worked hard to have the body he had, but that didn’t keep him from wondering if he had put on weight during all of these months he was with the Wardens. He certainly ate a lot better here than he did at Uncle Gamlen’s, which wasn’t much at all.

 

  He jolted slightly hearing his door creep open. He scrambled to find an undershirt but huffed, accepting the fact that whoever came in had most likely saw him. The dark haired young man gritted his teeth; He wasn’t happiest with how he looked. Hawke was always more muscular, more toned. He envied his older brother, he always had.

 

“Carver? I’m sorry for barging in like this but-”, Rosalie’s words fell short as she looked up from her feet and up at him. She was finding it harder and harder not to let her eyes wander. For once, she allowed herself to run her eyes down his chest.

 

“Warden-Commander…?”, he cleared his throat, his cheeks and the tips of his ears turning a shade of pink. He wanted to tell himself that it was out of embarrassment, but he found it difficult not to believe that the young mage was  _ looking  _ at him.

 

  The blonde’s mouth went dry before her eyes found his,”There uh..There’s a letter for you. I wanted to deliver it myself, it’s from Hawke.”

 

  Carver gingerly took the letter from her and sat at the edge of his bed, muttering a thank you. He smiled softly at the messy handwriting on the envelope:” _ To my not so little brother _ ”.

 

  As Rosalie was walking out the door, he quickly shot up and grabbed her wrist loosely, careful not to hurt her,”Stay, please. You’re...You’re my only friend here, and I want to share this with you.”

 

  The Warden-Commander smiled gently, joining him on the bed. She hated that he hadn’t made more friends here. Not because she disliked his company, but because he deserved better. Carver deserved people looking past his hard exterior and getting to know him, he deserved so much, yet he hardly ever got it.

 

  He cleared his throat and opened up the envelope, unfolding the letter to read it aloud.

 

_ Carver, _

_   Anders tells me that you’re doing well with the Wardens. I’m glad, ecstatic even. I’m proud of you, Carver, more than I’ve ever been before. I didn’t think you would make it...You were so ill, I wouldn’t have been able to go on if I lost you too. Maybe it’s because I would’ve blamed myself, or maybe it’s because I wouldn’t be able to face Mother’s wrath. I miss you….I miss you so much. I know you blame me for Bethany, and I’m sorry.  _

 

_   On a happier note, I’ve gotten the estate back. I wake up every morning and walk outside to the balcony, overlooking Kirkwall. Anders stays here now, too. That damned expedition...It did horrible, horrible things, but there’s enough money to take care of all of us now. I know you weren’t ever on board about chasing our past, but Mother seems happy. Come home, Carver...Come home as soon as you can. _

_                                                                                                   Love Garrett  _

 

Carver smiled, tearing up at the words written. Some of the ink bled; he wondered silently if Hawke had cried while writing this. It had hints of humor, just like his older brother, but there was a sense of pride and traces of affection that he had never truly gotten from him. 

 

“Are you going?”, Rosalie broke the silence.

 

“Pardon?”, he looked over at her, shaking himself from his thoughts.

 

  She smiled sheepishly and gestured towards the letter,”He wants you to come home, and I bet your mother does too. So, are you going? To Kirkwall, I mean.”

 

  Carver nodded his head slowly,”I think it would be right. U-Unless you need me here!”

 

  Rosalie so desperately wanted to tell him that she did need him here, that she needed to hold her in his arms like he had nights ago all the time. But she couldn’t. He needed to go home, his family needed him. There was no Blight, she didn’t truly  _ need _ him in the way that he was asking. She took a ragged breath and faked a smile,”Go, Carver, go to your family. They need you there way more than I need you here.”

 

“I’ll begin packing up my belongings then. I’d guess that I would leave in a day or two, take a boat to Kirkwall, like I did when I first went.”

 

  The young man hugged her close, inhaling her scent, becoming more intoxicated by her by the second. He’d never admit how he felt to her. Perhaps if one of them wasn’t in a position of power, he would. Besides, she was beautiful, strong, breathtaking...She was one of the most amazing women that he had ever met in his life, and leaving her would prove to be more difficult than most anything he’s done.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carver leaves for Kirkwall and Rosalie attempts to confess her feelings before he leaves.

Rosalie straightened her robes with her hands, her palms sweaty from nerves. This was it, today was the day; She was going to tell Carver how she felt before he left for Kirkwall, or else she’d explode. 

 

  She felt silly, fixing her hair and robes in a feeble attempt to like nice in front of him. This was exactly the type of thing she used to tease Leliana for when she would ask her if she looked okay as her brother approached them. Her and Adam made a wonderful couple. Oh Adam…

 

  The blonde woman shook herself from her thoughts. She hated herself for not being there to save him. Well, she was, but if only he hadn’t tossed her aside. She couldn’t count how many nights she had stayed up wondering what Adam’s life would have been like if he would’ve let her take the final blow to the archdemon, like they had planned. But she couldn’t think like that, doing as much would torture her even more. 

 

  Rosalie took a ragged breath and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before grabbing a deep crimson cloak that hung in her wardrobe nearby. She draped it over her shoulders and tied it at her neck, pulling the hood up. 

 

  She hurriedly made her way down the steps, grabbing the sides of her robe up so she wouldn’t trip over them as she ran. The elven woman licked her lips, her mouth going dry from how anxious she was becoming.

 

“That new Warden, Carver, he wishes for you to see him on his way. Is that where you’re headed?”

 

“It is, I’ll be back soon!”, she shouted back at Theo, the very man who had warned her months ago not to do what she was about to do.

 

  Rain poured from the dark clouds above, turning the dirt beneath her feet into mud as the seconds passed. It was absolutely pouring, and she wondered if it would be safe, days from now, for Carver to set sail to Kirkwall. What if the seas were rough? Would the captain even leave the dock if the weather continued like this?

 

  Rosalie stopped in her tracks when she looked over at a large group over by the stables, where she was supposed to see Carver on his way. She immediately thought the worst, taking her time to get to him. Although the hood was over her head, rain ran down her face constantly. Her cloak and robes were already soaked, but she didn’t really mind. She was used to working in rough conditions, storms like this included. 

 

  She pushed through the crowd, smiling gently, seeing that Carver was merely preparing his mount for the ride. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked over at a woman beside her,”Why is everyone crowded around? It’s just Ca- Hawke.”

 

“Maybe to you it’s just ‘Hawke’! No offense, Warden-Commander, but he’s quite the man. He’s gained the attention of many of us while he’s been here.”

 

“Why, what for? He hasn’t done anything wrong.”

 

“Perhaps that’s why the men always buy him drinks or offer to train with him. Did you ever think-”

  Rosalie sighed and walked over to Carver, the woman was annoying her. She knew that Carver was something special, before anybody else here did. Months ago he seemed so broken when he said that he hadn’t made any friends here, but now he looked so happy.

 

“Ros- Warden-Commander! It’s good to see you, but I’ve got to get going if I’m going to make it to the coast in time.”, he smiled softly as he mounted the horse, gently shaking the reins so that it would begin walking.

 

  She speed walked beside him to keep up. They’d pushed through the crowd and were making their way to the gates,”Carver, I’ve got to talk to you, it’s important!”

 

“Rosalie, is something wrong?”, he glanced down at her with eyes filled with worry.

 

“No! Nothing’s wrong, I just-”

 

  He smiled sheepishly, the rain making his shaggy hair stick to the back of his neck and his forehead,”Then can it wait? I’m sorry to ask such a thing but…”

 

“I-I guess so…”

 

  Carver looked her over and nodded,”Write to me, will you? I’m afraid I’ll be rather lonely while I’m there. And as much as those people like to call me their friend, I don’t think they would write to check on me.”

 

  Rosalie’s eyes began to water and she nodded,”Everyday, I’ll write everyday.”

 

  He leaned down and whispered softly,”Are you crying? Are you sure everything is alright with you?”

 

“It’s just the rain, Carver, don’t be silly. I don’t have time to cry.”, she smiled, despite her voice beginning to shake.

 

“I...I trust you. Be safe, okay?”

 

  She licked her lips and nodded,”I should be saying that to you, shouldn’t I?”

 

“Perhaps...I’ll see you soon, I’m sure.”

 

  Carver shook the reins again, joined at the gates by a couple other Grey Wardens who were to escort him to the boat to Kirkwall. Rosalie sighed softly and turned quickly, her cloak whipping in the wind as thunder crackled in the distance. This hadn’t gone as planned, not in the slightest. She wasn’t expecting a chance to convince him to stay, but maybe a chance to convince him to take her with him. She thought herself a fool, allowing her feelings to get the best of her like this. But how could they not? She spent nearly everyday with the man, and they’d always had a good time when they were together. The Warden-Commander couldn’t help but think that maybe this was a sign from the Maker himself.


	9. Chapter 9

  Rosalie sat on her knees before the altar, her head bowed and her hands folded. She spoke softly, which was rare; She only did so among friends and when praying,”Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter. Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just. Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood, the Maker’s will is written.”

 

  She unfolded her hands and leaned forward, blowing out the candles before her. She stood up slowly and brushed the dirt off of her robes. She slowly stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her, something that she always did. It was a way to show respect, in her opinion at least.

 

  The elven woman always got strange looks when she left that room, probably because it is rather rare for elves to be Andrastian. However, she spent most of her time in the Circle reading, books about Andrastians and their way of life interested her; There was even a rumor going around the tower that she had read every single book that was there. She hadn’t, of course, she had merely read the holy books time and time again so it must’ve seemed that way. Rosalie had found something, someone, to put her faith in. It was in great contrast to her life in the Circle, as she mostly felt like a prisoner who couldn’t speak her mind while she was there.

 

  By now, she was used to the looks that she received. All she truly had to do now was smile gently, give them a curt nod, and walk away.

 

  She walked to her room, sitting at her desk and taking a deep breath. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes, humming softly. She’d waited three days before sending the first letter and it had been a week and a half since then. She had sent one more letter a week after the first, but she hadn’t heard a word from Carver yet.

 

  She cared for him, and had kept true to her promise of writing him everyday. However, did he really care for her? Or did he just see her as an annoying little sister that he had to answer to? Rosalie pushed the thought aside. She couldn’t bear to think such things, it hurt her far too much to do so.

 

*

 

  Carver leaned over the side of the boat, throwing up for what seemed like the millionth time. As you have it, the usual captain was “on vacation”, and his son had taken over the ship while he was gone. He didn’t know any shortcuts, nor how to steer a boat during a storm, or...how to steer a boat at all, really.

 

  Once the boat had docked, he slung his bag over his right shoulder, resting his hand on his stomach as he walked off of the boat. He looked up and took a ragged breath. Kirkwall. He was back where his family was, and that was what mattered.

 

  Carver trudged slowly to Hightown. He was exhausted. He’d hardly gotten any sleep on the journey here. The waves were rough and the captain was...mediocre at best. He needed a bed, desperately. He wanted so badly to collapse onto a bed at the Hawke estate, he didn’t care whose it was. All Carver wanted was sleep. Well, he wanted his family, but if he didn’t get some sleep soon he’d probably rip somebody’s head off.

 

  He smiled sheepishly to those who called his name. He had even recognized a few faces, but didn’t really say a word. Once he had gotten to the estate, he stood in front of it and looked up at the large home. He’d never imagine that his family would own something like this. If someone were to tell him while he was living in the slums at Gamlen’s that he and his family would be living large in a matter of years, he’d call them a liar and probably threaten to knock their lights out.

 

“Carver!”, Leandra gasped, hugging her son tightly. “Hawke!! It’s your brother!”

 

  Carver embraced his mother, sobbing into her shoulder,”It’s been too long, Mother.”

“There he is! Our little Grey Warden!”, Hawke yelled from across the room. The next thing Carver new, his older brother had joined in on the hug, and he swore he heard his own spine pop as he did.

 

“Garrett, you’re hurting me.”, he managed to choke out his words.

 

  As they pulled away from the hug, Carver looked behind Hawke and their mother to see Anders standing at the landing on the stairs. He smiled softly and slowly made his way over to the group, waving a stack of envelopes,”Our Warden-Commander seems to have a lot to say to you.”

 

  The younger Hawke brother blushed, the tips of his ears turning red,”She...We bonded quite a bit during my time away.”

 

“Carver!”

 

“No, not like that, Mother! Rosalie is one of my only friends there. Actually, she’s probably my only friend there.”

 

“What matters now is that you’re back home.”, Garrett smiled wide, clapping a hand on his back. “And that you don’t have to leave again.”

 

  Carver shook his head, looking at his brother with a confused look etched into his face,”What? I can’t stay.”

 

“And why not? I’m free to come and go as I please, there is no Blight tearing the world apart.”, Anders stated.

 

“Because…”

 

“Because what, Carver? Is there something wrong? Is something going on-”

 

  He shook his head,”I just think I would serve better use there.”

 

“Dammit, what’s going on?”

 

“You get Anders, why can’t I get her?”, he suddenly blurted out.

 

  Anders snickers and tosses the envelopes on the table nearby,”Fancy our leader do you? Don’t waste your breath or your time, I don’t think she’s interested in a relationship. She’s practically married to being a Warden.”

 

“You think so…?”

 

“I know so. Now come on, I bet everyone else will be happy to see you again.”

 

*

 

  Rosalie’s hands practically went up in flames, staring down the large group of men approaching them. Theo gently rubbed her shoulders,”It’s alright, kiddo.”

 

“No, it isn’t! Damn bandits.”

 

“Keep a level head, see if you can reason with them.”

 

  The man who she assumed to be the leader of the group stepped forward,”Warden-Commander.”

 

“Stranger.”, she snarled.

 

“Give us a nice lump of coin or food, and we’ll leave without bloodshed.”

 

  The light haired young woman looked up at him, her hair wildly whipping in the wind,”No. My people work hard to earn what we have, and we won’t be bullied into feeding you.”

 

“The Wardens wouldn’t take in harmless refugees?”

 

“Harmless refugees wouldn’t threaten bloodshed, now would they?”

 

“To arms, men!”, he growled.

 

  Rosalie quickly retreated, setting the ground aflame, a wall of fire between her men and the bandits,”In death, sacrifice!”

 

  The fire quickly burnt out, the men charging at hers. She froze a nearby man from his neck down, elbowing one in the throat. Rosalie was far too close to these men, she had to find a way to distance herself. A Warden in his early twenties, Tobias, hoisted her up,”Hope you’re good at landing, Commander!”

 

  Within seconds she was soaring through the air, gasping sharply as she saw how many of her Wardens had fallen. Sure, the bandits were going down too, but she particularly noticed her men. She gritted her teeth and landed with her right leg behind her and slightly bent and her left leg ahead of her, putting her in a lunge like stance.

 

  Rosalie punched the ground hard, an electric current focusing on a few of bandits in front of her. Tobias slit one of the mens’ throats, bashing another with a shield. The Warden-Commander jumped, twirling in the air and kicking the last man in the side of the face. Great, now her boot was bloody. Once she was on the ground again she approached the man who she attacked, her boot resting against his neck,”May the Maker give you mercy, for you will find none here.”

 

  She gritted her teeth and stomped down hard, a gargle and a snap following her action. The young elven woman ducked under a woman’s dagger, sweeping her legs and setting her on fire in the process. She wasn’t expecting an attack, much less one this large and calculated,”Tobias!”

 

“Commander?!”, he called back as he stabbed through the weak spot in a man’s armor at the collarbone.

 

“I refuse to fall until this is over, and I want my bed in the infirmary near yours, understood?”

 

  It would seem a silly request to anyone listening in, but it made sense to her. Tobias was a good man, a good Warden. But beyond that, he was a good friend. She had met him around the same time that she had met Anders. If it were Anders here with her, she would ask the same of him.

 

“Loud and clear!”, he nodded as he bashed a man with his shield.

 

  Rosalie gasped at an arrow coming her way, jumping out of the way. The arrow nicked her upper right arm, ripping the fabric of her robes and cutting her skin. She winced and froze the archer’s hands, rushing over to her. The Warden-Commander wrapped her hand around the woman’s throat, sending an electric current through her body.

  Two men flanked her, stabbing her in her sides with their swords. It was a trap. She had too much pride to attack someone closer to her, she had to go for the archer. As they withdrew their swords from her body, she fell to the ground, her blood staining her baby blue robes.

 

  She stared up to the sky, whispering softly,”Maker...I beg of you, keep me alive.”

 

  Rosalie felt the blood coming up her throat, choking her. She mustered up all she had in her to turn to her side to cough it up. The blood poured out of her mouth like a waterfall.

 

  She was too young to die. She thought that she wanted to die over a year ago, sacrifice herself to the archdemon, but now she isn’t so sure this is what she wants. Is this what Adam felt when he was dying? Was it this painful? Or did he go without all of the misery?

 

  She thought about that Templar at the Circle, Cullen, and how he’d sneakily talk to her despite all the rules saying that he couldn’t. She thought about the day her parents sent her away to the Circle. She thought about when her parents had sent Adam away to the Circle and how scared she was. Was this what it was like? To have your life flash before your eyes?

 

“Commander!”, she heard Tobias yell.

 

  She gripped onto the ground, trapping the remainder of the bandits in a prison of ice. They could take her life all they wanted, but she’ll be damned if she was going down without a fight.

 

  Rosalie screamed out in pain as someone rolled her over, making her cough up more blood. She wanted to apologize, say that she didn’t mean to get blood on whoever it was, but she didn’t have the energy to do it. She didn’t even have the energy to open up her eyes at this point.

 

“Stay with me, Rosie.”, Tobias growled.

  
  The young woman whispered in a hoarse voice, using every last bit of her energy left to speak,”In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. _In death, sacrifice…_ ”


	10. Chapter 10

Rosalie’s eyes fluttered open. Her breathing was slow and heavy, and she had to concentrate in order to do it. She looked at the end of her bed and saw Tobias. His curly, dark brown hair complimented his bloodshot green eyes. She smiled weakly,”Hey there…”

 

  Tobias rolled his eyes. How could she seem so calm at a time like this? But, that’s how she always seemed to be. He sighed softly,”Leliana is out right now, looking for a fresh change of clothes for you.”

 

“Leliana is here?”

 

“Dropped everything to come see you.”

 

  The Warden-Commander nodded and slowly sat up, but not without gritting her teeth and wincing,”Sounds like her.”

 

  Leliana opened the door and gasped, hurrying over and dropping the clothes on Rosalie’s legs before gently hugging her,”Oh Rosie…”

 

“Sorry I had to drag you away from...whatever it is that you were doing.”

 

  The redhead smiled softly and pulled away from her,”It’s no bother. You’ve been...out of it for a couple days, though. We’ve been changing your bandages regularly and had many healers in here to help you.”

 

“Thank you for taking such good care of me.”

 

  Tobias snickered,”She said we, I helped too. I  _ am _ rather kind hearted.”

 

  The blonde lazily smirked,”Humble too, don’t forget humble.”

 

  Leliana smiled gently and loosely held Rosalie’s hand in hers,”Don’t rush your recovery, please. Tobias has things under control here.”

 

“What about you?”

 

“I have to leave soon...There’s only so much time away I can take. I know that you understand.”

 

  Rosalie nodded slowly. She did understand, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. She also understood that the reason Leliana could never look her in the eyes for too long is because they reminded her of Adam. She couldn’t hate Leliana for that, she understood, but that didn’t mean she had to like it either. 

 

  The bard slowly let go of the Warden-Commander’s hand and kissed the top of her head,”Don’t forget to write me. It would bring me a great deal of sadness if I stopped receiving your letters, Rosie.”

 

“I won’t forget, I promise.”

 

  Leliana made her way towards the door, waving and smiling big, like she used to when she was still fighting the Blight with Rosalie and Adam,”I’ll hold you to it!”

 

  Just like that, she was gone again. Rosalie found that that’s just how it was these days. It seemed that Leliana couldn’t stay around her too long without choking up and saying how striking of a resemblance Rosalie beared to her brother. 

 

  The Warden-Commander looked over at the clothes that Leliana had dropped on her legs and gingerly reached for the fabric. She smiled at how soft the clothes felt in her hands. Leliana  _ was  _ Orlesian, it made sense that she would not only pick out something comfortable but also something pretty for Rosalie to wear. It was nice to see that not too much of her had faded away following Adam’s passing. 

 

  Tobias glanced at the clothes then at the young woman,”Are you well enough to dress yourself? I could get Sigrun or-”

 

“No, no, I’ll be alright. Just give me a few minutes alone, yea?”

 

  The brunette nodded slowly and spoke softly as he walked outside,”If you need anything, give me a shout.”

 

  With Tobias outside, Rosalie crawled out of bed, mindful of her healing wounds. She slowly took her robes off and whimpered as the fabric to her underdress stuck to the bloody bandage on her right side, tugging at it. She gritted her teeth and cautiously pulled the underdress off of herself. 

 

  The platinum blonde then removed the bloody bandages, quickly replacing them with the ones at her bedside table. Her wounds had mainly healed, probably more due to the healers than her resting and the bandages. She was grateful for magic, especially healing magic. If it hadn’t been for the healers, she’d probably either be dead or close to it. 

 

  With a ragged breath, she dressed herself in the clean clothes that Leliana had brought for her. She wore an off white underdress with baby blue robes that had white accents and tiny floral detailing to go over it. There was normally a belt that went around the waist that held pouches useful during travels or battle, but it seemed that Leliana had removed it. If Rosalie had to guess, she would say that it was Leliana looking out for her, mindful of where her battle wounds were.

 

  Rosalie despised - no, loathed - staying in one place for too long. She also hated sitting around like a bump on a log. If she was awake and feeling better, she wanted to do something with her time. 

 

  Many of the Grey Wardens thought it was a way for her to keep her mind busy and off of Adam, but in all honesty, she had always been this way. When she was a child, she would find herself trying to clean the small cottage in the Alienage, but to no avail. And when she was shipped off to the Circle, she tried to fill in her free time with studying at the library or practicing her magic to better herself. She just simply did not like sitting around with nothing to do. Perhaps she wanted something to do with her hands, or she just got antsy when she was in one place for too long. She didn’t know. What she did know was that she had always been this way, yearning to do something,  _ anything _ .

 

  The Warden-Commander never sought to busy her mind so she wouldn’t think of her late brother. To her, that was just wrong. To not think of Adam would be the same as forgetting him, and she couldn’t do that. In all honesty, Adam was the only real family that she had left, and now he’s gone too. And for the first time in her life she was alone, completely and utterly alone.

 

“Rosie...Are you alright? You’re not in any pain are you?”

 

  Rosalie snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see Tobias staring at her worriedly,”Yea, I’m okay. I just got to thinking is all.”

 

  She wiped the tears from her face and smiled softly,”Remembering things keeps you human.”

 

“Yea, I guess it does.”


	11. Chapter 11

Rosalie looked at herself in the looking glass. Aside from her undergarments, she stood naked, staring at herself. She ran her frail, pale fingers over the healing wounds on her sides. In another week’s time, they’d be jagged scars. 

 

  She was forever grateful for the healers taking such good care of her. However, as a woman of faith, she also thought that the Maker watched over her during her healing process. There was no denying, whatever the cause, that her being alive was an absolute miracle. 

 

  Rosalie sighed softly and looked away from herself, pulling a pale pink, silk chemise over her head. The Warden-Commander looked through her wardrobe, settling on her navy blue robes that came just above her knee. The robes had black feathers on the shoulders as well as gold and light blue seams as accents. There was a black belt with a golden, circular buckle that wrapped around her waist. She whimpered at how tight she had it, loosening it a little bit. She would have to hold off on having her belts as tight as they usually are for about another week, give or take a couple days. 

 

  The young woman looked at herself in the mirror again. Her hand shakily reached out to gingerly touch the glass, as if she was making sure that the frail looking woman before her was really her. Normally she looked fearless and strong. She wondered how long she looked the way she did now. Had it been since Adam died? Or was it a more recent thing? She silently hoped for the latter.

 

  She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a knock at her door. That was happening to her quite a bit lately. She’d wish the jumpiness would just go away.

 

“Come in.”, she spoke shakily.

 

  A messenger slowly opened the door and smiled softly, holding out a stack of letters to her,”I was told to send these to you immediately, that they were urgent.”

 

  Rosalie frowned with her eyebrows scrunched together as she gently took the letters from the man’s hand,”These letters are all from Warden Hawke, save for one from Leliana, why am I just now getting them if they were so important?”

 

“I-I don’t know, Warden-Commander. I merely deliver the letters.”

 

  She gritted her teeth and nodded, annoyedly shooing him away,”Well thank you for taking your sweet time sending them my way.”

 

  The messenger frowned and hurried out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind him. 

 

  Rosalie sifted through the letters, deciding which to read first. She smiled at Leliana’s fancy writing and eagerly tore open the letter.

 

_ Rosie, _

_ Forgive me for rushing off the way that I did. Seeing you like that isn’t something that I hope to see more of. I won’t lie, when you were unconscious, I couldn’t help but think of Adam. I know it isn’t something that you like to think about or talk about often, but understand that I wish I could visit you more. I think of you as a sister, and I hope that the feeling is mutual. Please take your time resting up. I know that you aren’t one to sit still for long, but I fear that moving about too much will open up your wounds again. I love you, and know that I pray for your safety each and every night. _

_                                                                                                   Leliana _

 

Her blue-grey eyes scanned over the words written on the paper a countless number of times. She giggled at the fact that Leliana dotted the “i” to her name with a heart. It was good to see that Leliana was still, well, Leliana. 

 

  She folded the letter back up and put it back in its envelope before dropping it in one of her desk drawers. She quickly scribbled a letter, updating the former Chantry sister on how things were going since she had left. She wrote about how Sigrun, Tobias, and Oghren would play Wicked Grace with her so that she didn’t feel alone while recovering. She wrote about how she appreciated that Leliana even came to visit her in the first place and how good it was to see her again. She wrote about everything that she deemed important. She wrote until her hand was so tired that all she could manage was to sign her name at the bottom of the back of the page. 

 

  The mage smiled softly at the letter before folding it up and putting it in an envelope. She would send it off after she read and replied to a letter from Carver. She looked at the dates in the bottom corner of the envelopes, picking the earliest one.

 

_ Warden-Commander, _

_ I’m sorry that you’re getting this letter later than anticipated. The journey to Kirkwall took longer than we thought it would, and once I got here I was greeted by all of my friends and family here. I think I slept an entire day once I got the chance to lie down. Anders sends his regards, and so do my mother and brother, Garrett. Garrett wanted me to thank you for “fixing his bloody stupid mistake”. My mother also wanted me to thank you for taking care of me, but she wants to know if there’s any pressing matter there that require I leave Kirkwall again. My family and friends actually missed me, can you believe that? They want me to stay, and I suppose I was wondering your opinion on it...Get back to me when you can. _

_                                           Carver Hawke _

 

  Rosalie took a shaky breath, setting the letter down and combing her fingers through her hair. She hadn’t counted on Carver staying in Kirkwall, and asking him to stay would be selfish considering the fact that she’s had him by her side for months. She had to take his family’s feelings and requests into account. Years of being the Warden-Commander taught her to weigh her options carefully and think about the outcome of each decision. 

 

  The young woman briefly glanced over at the other letters, pondering over whether or not she should read all the letters before replying or not. After a couple minutes of thinking, she decided not to. If she did, she feared that hearing more from him would cloud her mind. Right now she had to think of him as just an ordinary Warden, nothing else. 

 

_ Carver,  _

_ There is nothing here that requires your immediate attention. There is no Blight, so technically you are free to go about with your personal business. I understand that your family and friends in Kirkwall have missed you and are excited to have you home, and I wouldn’t feel right if I asked you to come back simply because I missed having you around, it wouldn’t be right of me to ask that of you. Your family has been without you for months, so I understand if you decide to stay there. Ultimately, this is a decision I think you should make for yourself, so I will not tell you what to do. I feel that I have given you sufficient enough information that you can make an informed decision. Know that I only read your first letter before sending this. Please keep me updated on the matter at hand and tell your family, as well as Anders, that I was happy to make sure you were safe and sound. Stay safe. _

_                                                   Warden-Commander Rosalie Surana _

 

  Rosalie took a shaky breath and put the letter in an envelope. She stood from her desk and grabbed the two letters she had written. She had to get the letters out soon, she wouldn’t accept a delay. She would just have to read Carver’s other letters later. 


End file.
